Name: KandenSpecies: EonomaOrigions: A sinister laboritoryWeapon of choice: Volt driver (electric beam/upgraded electro lob)Special Technique: Visor distrupting ability added to charged shotStrong against: WeavelAlternate form: StingalarvaAlternate form abilities: The layers of his alternate form shoot off, acting as a homing missile on nearby enemiesHow to use: Use the Volt driver to disorientate then move in for the kill

Name: TraceSpecies: KrickenOrigions: Kricken EmpireWeapon of choice: Imperialist (sniper beam)Special Technique: Invisibility as long as the character remains still while using the imperialistStrong against: SyluxAlternate form: TriskelionAlternate form abilities: A charge attack, dealing some damage

Name: SyluxSpecies: UnknownOrigions: CylosisSpecial Technique: Absorbs enemy energy rather than depletes itStrong against: TraceAlternate form: LockjawAlternate form abilities: Proximity triggered mines. Three can be used per time. When all three are laid, they home in on an opponent.

Name: WeavelSpecies: Cybernetic Space PirateOrigions: UnknownWeapon of choice: Battlehammer (more powerful shot)Special Technique: The shot explodes upon impact with an enemyAlternate form: Half TurretAlternate form abilities: While in his alternate form, weavel can use his space pirate arm sabre in an uppercut as his lower half acts as a gun turret, shooting anything in the upper half's way

Plot:

In the most distant reaches of space, beyond the territories controlled by the Galactic Federation, is the Tetra Galaxy, once home to a mighty race known as the Alimbics. An advanced civilization, peaceful, prosperous and powerful, the Alimbics maintained stability over the region forcefully but judiciously. They reigned over a vast region known as the Alimbic Cluster. One day, perhaps thousands of years ago, perhaps tens of thousands, they simply disappeared, leaving behind artifacts, all scattered across the Alimbic Cluster, all protected by a lethal arsenal of the Alimbics' most advanced weaponry.

Today, for the first time in centuries, the long-dormant Alimbic System is stirring, delivering strange tidings. A telepathic communication originating in Alimbic Cluster, has downloaded into the brains of some of the most exceptional bounty hunters in our galaxy. The message translates into a thousand different languages on a thousand different worlds. But the message always is the same: "The secret to ultimate power resides in the Alimbic Cluster."

This message has intrigued and enticed some of the most formidable bounty hunters in the galaxy to make the long journey to the Alimbic Cluster, each of these great warriors motivated by a different reason. Some desire power for themselves, or for their planet or people, while others simply have a relentless desire to hunt, or to kill, along with a fierce determination to prove themselves the best bounty hunter in the galaxy. Now, it's a race against time to see which bounty hunter will triumph over the others, who will discover the secret behind this promise of "ultimate power."

The Galactic Federation has heeded this strange, suspicious communication as well, and has called for the help of Samus Aran. Her mission: to discover the truth about this mysterious message, to protect against a potential threat, and to keep the Alimbics' ultimate power from falling into the wrong hands.

Noxus is a member of the Vhozon, a proud and reclusive race that inhabit the outer rim of the galaxy. A spiritual being who walks a harsh, righteous path, Noxus has become a Bounty Hunter to administer justice to the galaxy's criminals and evildoers, to keep the scales of order from tipping into instability and chaos.

Noxus, like his many Bounty Hunter compatriots, got the message from the Alimbic Cluster about an opportunity to find a source of ultimate power. He's determined to get to it first, to make sure it doesn't not fall into the hands of lawbreakers or the unworthy.

Sylux

Little is known about the mysterious Bounty Hunter known as Sylux, other than the fact that Sylux harbors an intense hatred for the Galactic Federation, its republic of planets, and in particular, the Bounty Hunter who has helped the Federation time and time again -- Samus Aran.

Sylux is cold and ruthlessly efficient. The definition of an expert Bounty Hunter, Sylus is a resourceful tracker and a deadly Sharpshooter. After secretly tracking Samus to the Tetra Galaxy hoping for a surprise confrontation. Once there, Sylux becomes tempted by the promise of a super weapon, which Sylux could use to destroy Samus Aran and then take on the entire Federation.

Spire

Spire is the sole remaining Diamont, the last member of a silicone-based race whose bodies are composed of organic rock. Spires life as a Bounty Hunter takes him from one end of the galaxy to the other, while he continually searches for information on the location, or fate, of the rest of his people.

When he receives a message from the Alimbic Cluster, he races to that system with the hope that finding the source of ultimate power, and solving the mystery of their lost race, will help him solve the mystery of his own.

Trace

Trace is a Kriken, one of the most hated and feared races in the galaxy. Every Kriken, when he or she reaches a certain age, is exiled by its clan for a rite of passage. In this ritual, the youth is sent out to find a world suitable for invasion and consumption by the greedy and rapacious Krikens. Young Krikens who return having successfully found a habitat for their people are regaled as heroes, and are assured a life of power, wealth and prestige.

Trace is currently in exile for his Rite of Passage, which allows him to travel the galaxy looking for planets to expand the Kriken empire. When Trace gets a telepathic call to the Tetra system, he is intrigued. He heopes the abandoned Alimbic Cluster might containt suitable worlds for Kriken invasion. He also seeks the ultimate weapon, because the more power it brings to the Krikens, the more power Trace will receive.

Kanden

A lab experiment gone awry, Kanden was created to be the ultimate soldier, immortal and unkillable. However, stress from the neural combat encoding sequences was more than Kandens still mortal brain could handle, and left his ferocious, deadly and dangerously unpredictable. Kanden broke out of the lab, and those responsible for his neurological alterations and surgical enhancements were not left alive.

Still, there is one way that a brutally efficient killer in the galaxy can not only survive, but thrive: as an intergalactic Bounty Hunter. Unbound by morals or a conscience, programmed with an instinctal drive to hurt - and kill - Kanden is one of the very best. When he gets a message of an ultimate weapon in the Alimbic System, Kanden knows that this is his chance to prove himself the finest Bounty Hunter of them all.

Weavel

Weavel was once a powerful Space Pirate Generalm before he was critically wounded during an altercation between the Space Pirates and Samus Aran in the Pirate base Brinstar. With just his brain and spinal cord still functional, his only hope for survival was an experimental procedure in which his body was fused with a mobile life support system.

With his suit, Weavel regained his mobility and became powerful, deadly and almost unstoppable. Like many other of the galaxy's most dangerous bounty hunters, Weavel is heading to the Tetra system to search for an ultimate weapon. However, nobody knows if Weavel seeks this object to increase the strength and power of the Space Pirates, or if he wants to betray the Pirates and keep the weapon for himself.

Copied from my site. I wrote that all up when the microsite was first announced ages ago.

Name: Kanden? fuck off - Frazzle, new nameSpecies: Eonoma? fuck off - Mentalist, new nameOrigions: Wherever there's a signalWeapon of choice: Volt driver (electric beam/upgraded electro lob)Special Technique: Visor distrupting ability added to charged shotStrong against: EveryoneAlternate form: StingalarvaAlternate form abilities: The layers of his alternate form shoot off, acting as a homing missile on nearby enemiesHow to use: Use the Volt driver to disorientate then move in for the kill

I find the music to be one of the best aspects of the game. It seems very primey to me and matches the situation you are in. Sounds great coming from the DSes speakers too.

Cool. That was one of the pluses of both Prime and Echoes, the way the music matched the situation perfectly.

Just another question, if you have got far enough, do you travel to other planets using your ship that you can control or does it just go into a cutscene and take you there. If you do have control over your ship it would be nice to say find a secret planet that perhaps you fight a mini-boss on to get some secret power up. A bit like the travelling of the seas in Wind Waker.

This game from what I have seen has surely surpassed my wildest expectations. The only truly negative aspect that I've heard thus far is the uninspired boss fights. A bit dissapointed there since the bosses to me were the best aspect of Metroid games. But the multiplayer seems to make up for it, seems very Unrealish or quakish to me. I love quake so Hurrah.

I also like that Space Pirate guy - niche enough for eventual hardcore fans like me, even though I haven't breathed on it, but trust me, I will, to use that rather intriguing Sabre on the right arm for lock picking, carrying rubbish and

I find the music to be one of the best aspects of the game. It seems very primey to me and matches the situation you are in. Sounds great coming from the DSes speakers too.

Cool. That was one of the pluses of both Prime and Echoes, the way the music matched the situation perfectly.Just another question, if you have got far enough, do you travel to other planets using your ship that you can control or does it just go into a cutscene and take you there.If you do have control over your ship it would be nice to say find a secret planet that perhaps you fight a mini-boss on to get some secret power up. A bit like the travelling of the seas in Wind Waker.

At first you have the choice of only one area, but as you go on you unlock the ability to go to different areas. All you do is get in your ship, scan the alimbic cluster for planets, and then select which place you would like to go.

Im getting it from the import shop near my place later this week, cant hardly wait to get it, this game looks sooooooo fucking AWESOME! When I looked at the vids at IGN.com i noticed the guy couldnt aim a bit though... Ill just use my stylus instead of the thumbstrap, that gave me the most accurate control on the demo, so why wouldnt it here

Yeah, me too. I mean, using your thumb you just don't have the same precision as when you're using the stylus. The human thumb(or any thumb) is just too fucking spastic Just one more day and I've got the money to buy it...

I would buy but getting all sketchy about problems of import. My mum is in America right now and im going to ask her to get two copies (one for my friend) it should connect to UK versions of the game shouldnt it. And should connect to my Wifi dongle aswell shouldnt it. Hope there wont be any probs. I guess this sounds n00by. But can someone clear up my uncertainty. Knighty you were also wondering this werent you

this and mario kart have to be the best games on the ds at the moment. there are no other 1st person shooters that i know of. one thing that i find a problem, though is that the corner of the ds kinda gets pushed into your palm. it doesnt hurt, but it gets annoying and sometimes leaves a bruisethere are some nice puzzles in the game, but i'd like to see harder ones. i like how you can find so many hidden things, also